Neodiasta van Achterberg gen. nov. Figs 79-91

Type species.

Phasmidiasta ecuadorensis Fischer, 2006.

Diagnosis.

Third antennal segment shorter than fourth segment and slender (Fig. 91); mandible strongly widened apically, with minute ventral lobe and no oblique ventral carina, with 3 large teeth, middle tooth much smaller than upper tooth, upper tooth without dorso-apical protuberance, ventral margin straight but near third lobe-shaped tooth with minute lobe (Figs 85, 90); clypeus obtuse ventrally, semicircular (Figs 85, 87, 90); face normally convex and not protruding medially (Figs 87, 89); pronope deep and medium-sized (Fig. 88); precoxal sulcus wide and coarsely crenulate medially; vein 2-SR of fore wing straight posteriorly (Fig. 79); vein r of fore wing issued behind medially from pterostigma and pterostigma parallel-sided to narrow elliptical (Fig. 79); vein CU1b of fore wing distinctly shorter than vein 3-CU1 and vein CU1a distinctly below level of vein CU1 (Fig. 79); first subdiscal cell of fore wing closed distally and moderately wide (Fig. 79); vein M+CU of hind wing distinctly shorter than vein 1-M (Fig. 80); first metasomal tergite with distinct dorsope; second tergite distinctly striate basally (Fig. 83) and third tergite smooth; shape of ovipositor and length of ovipositor sheath unknown (only ♂ known).

Distribution.

Neotropical (one species).

Notes.

The biology of the only known specimen (the male holotype from Ecuador) is unknown. The types species does not fit in Phasmidiasta because the precoxal sulcus is present and coarsely crenulate (absent in Phasmidiasta), the face is medially not protruding (distinctly protruding in Phasmidiasta), vein SR1 of the fore wing about as long as vein 3-SR (about 4 × as long in Phasmidiasta), vein M+CU of the hind wing is distinctly shorter than vein 1-M (longer than vein 1-M in Phasmidiasta), mandible without oblique carina connected to third tooth (present in Phasmidiasta), and the pterostigma is parallel-sided to narrowly elliptical (moderately widely elliptical to triangular in Phasmidiasta).

Etymology.

Name derived from a combination of “neo” (Greek for “new”) and the generic name Phasmidiasta, because it occurs in the Neotropical region and was formerly included in Phasmidiasta . Gender: feminine.